DARK REVELATIONS
by tyl
Summary: With the apocalypse fast approaching, Devon Redfern has been assigned to locate the last Wild Power. But will a chance encounter with a human girl interfere with his plans? This is an alternate take on the final book of the Night World series.
1. Chapter One

**CHAPTER 1 **

Annie Hartman knew she shouldn't have drunk so much - or be operating a moving vehicle for that matter.

It had started to drizzle outside and the roads were getting quite slippery, but that didn't stop Annie from taking off in her brand new red Mazda Miata. In fact, all she wanted to do was get away from the party – fast.

Tears started to well up in her eyes as she replayed the evening's events in her mind. The night had begun as a fun and harmless start of the year party at her friend Chelsea Middleton's house - that is until she walked in on Chelsea straddling Mark Adler, Annie's steady boyfriend since middle school. Annie didn't give them a chance to explain themselves, she just fled.

The rain was now pelting heavily against the windshield partially obstructing Annie's view but she was oblivious as numbness overcame her. Annie gripped harder onto the steering wheel as she accelerated down the dark and winding road, blanketed by tall cedar trees.

She couldn't believe they would betray her like this. Even though she was only sixteen, Annie had always thought that Mark was _the_ one. Her soulmate.

Annie had known Chelsea since they were little and sure, she was an attention seeker and extremely flirtatious in nature, but the two girls were always on cordial terms and Annie would have never expected her to make a move on Mark.

As she turned towards Wicker Bridge, her thoughts travelled back to her twelfth birthday, when Mark had asked her to meet him here and surprised Annie with a gift. It was a heart-shaped pendant with both their initials carved on the inside. Annie was so touched she kissed him. That was their very first kiss.

Instinctively, Annie touched the same cool silver pendant that was resting upon her neck and felt nauseous. _Ok, maybe that mixed drink was a bad idea, _she thought to herself dryly. As she winded down the windows to get some fresh air, Annie noticed a silhouette standing on top the bridge paling. In fact, he was dangerously close to edge.

When the car came closer, she realised that the guy was around her age. He had wavy blonde hair and was dressed in a pale blue shirt and dark pants. He briefly glanced in her direction before turning away. Although it was only for a split second, Annie caught his extremely handsome features.

Just as the car was about to pass him, the guy let go of wooden column that was supporting him and fell forward, straight into the river.

Annie screamed and immediately hit the brakes.

* * *

Devon was emerging from the sycamore grove when a red convertible sped past. It was raining heavily but Devon managed to catch a glimpse of a teary-eyed girl behind the wheel. Devon continued to watch as the car swerved unsteadily onto the foot of the bridge. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the driver was not in the best condition to drive.

From the corner of his eye, Devon noticed a blue flash surge past him. Devon cursed under his breath. He should have known that Isiah would get distracted. He loved toying with people and this was no exception.

Isiah was standing idly on the bridge railing, the light from the car illuminating his figure on its approach. Isiah turned to Devon briefly, flashing his signature smug grin before leaping off the bridge.

Suddenly, the car came to a screeching halt, spinning wildly as the tires gave way to the moist road. For a moment, Devon thought it would crash into, or worse, crash through the railing but the convertible eased into stationary with just a few inches to spare.

Everything was eerily quiet now and the rain was starting to gradually subside. Devon raked his eyes over the water and the bushland around it, but much to his frustration, there was no sign of Isiah.

_This is getting ridiculous, _Devon thought to himself. He knew he should have come alone – at least then he could be more focused on the task at hand. Devon was just about to step out onto the embankment when he heard the car door open. With one swift motion, he returned to the shadows.

Devon watched as a shaky figure emerged from the car. The girl looked about sixteen or seventeen, with long wavy auburn hair that was fairly dishevelled. In the moonlight, her ivory skin glowed in an ethereal and hauntingly striking manner.

The girl rushed to the edge of the bridge, with a hand over her mouth. She was peering over the railing frantically and calling into the darkness, to no avail. After a few seconds, she kicked off her shoes, nudged her white lacy dress up just a little and attempted to pull herself up onto the railing.

_Don't fall for it idiot,_ Devon berated in his mind, but it was already too late. The girl's right leg had slipped on the railing and she lost her balance, tumbling into the black murky water below.

* * *

It happened so fast that Annie didn't even have time to comprehend what was going on until she hit the icy river and felt the pain – like a thousand needles piercing through her body. It was only when she reached the surface that Annie snapped back into the moment and realized what a dire predicament she was in. She couldn't swim. Panic started to mount as she splashed around desperately, her yells for help muted by the mouthful of water that was gradually choking her.

Annie was aware of the darkness around her, growing by the second, engulfing her. She felt a strange warm sensation within, almost like it was trying to help her fight off the inevitable, but deep down she knew that her will alone wasn't enough. She was out here on Wicker Bridge in the middle of the night - any chance of a passerby was slim.

The water was now filling Annie's lungs and her energy was rapidly waning. Her eyes were starting to feel heavy, but the tightness around the chest was easing. Annie felt a wave of calmness wash over her as the darkness descended. Then everything went black.

* * *

Devon stood there frozen, as the girl hit the water.

"Hey, why that glum face?" A familiar voice piped up behind him.

A completely dry Isiah was leaning against the tree, his arms folded across his chest. He shook his head and tsk tsk-ed.

"Humans, such do-gooders. When will they ever learn?"

Devon didn't know why but he wanted to smack the arrogant smirk off his friend's face.

"Why the hell did you have to go and do that?" Devon snapped.

Isiah raised an eyebrow, obviously taken aback by the outburst.

"It was just for a bit of fun, I've done it before – you know that. Why are you so upset this time?" Isiah asked, sounding a tad wounded.

Devon didn't even take in what Isiah had said, because he was too focused on the scene unfolding before his eyes. The girl had surfaced, but she seemed to be struggling and was trying to scream for help.

"She can't swim," Devon realized in horror.

Isiah snorted. "So what? I was hoping we'll have her as a treat later."

Devon felt a strange tugging inside his chest. He couldn't explain it and certainly didn't understand it, but all he knew was that he had to help her. The girl was now submerged in the water and without another thought, Devon rushed to her. Within seconds he had reached her and carried the girl back to land, gently placing her on the grassy embankment.

"You're kidding me right?" Isiah asked in an incredulous tone. "Don't tell me you're going soft now."

Devon ignored his friend as he looked for signs of life. The girl wasn't breathing, but she still had a faint pulse. Devon cast his eyes away from her slender and ever-so-inviting neck and leaned forward to resuscitate the limp form in front of him. He didn't want to be crude, but he couldn't help noticing how soft her lips were on his or how it seemed to radiate a warmth that Devon could not describe.

He snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at the girl - she was still lifeless.

"Come on, wake up damn it!" He shouted exasperatingly, bending over again.

All of the sudden, he felt a jerk and the girl stirred, coughing violently. Devon leaned back in relief as her long dark lashes fluttered open. She looked around slowly, looking very confused at first. Then, she turned to Devon who was kneeling beside her. Their eyes met and Devon felt a rush of electricity through him. Her emerald eyes continued to study him, her delicate heart-shaped face in complete awe.

"Who…who are you?" She finally choked out. The girl tried to get up, but her arms and legs gave way and Devon managed to catch her just in time.

"I'm Devon," he replied softly. "Are you okay?"

"You saved me," she simply said, her eyes still on him. "Thank you."

Her gaze suddenly shifted to something behind Devon and she let out a cry.

"I saw you jump!" She was standing up straighter now, trying to break away from Devon's grasp. "But you're completely dry! How could that be?"

The girl appeared to be getting slightly hysterical as she stared at Isiah in disbelief. "I saw you fall from the bridge, you can't possibly ….Who are you people?"

"It's all right," Devon interjected, his voice soothing. He was stroking her back gently, hoping it would calm her down. "He didn't fall. I think you hit your head on your steering wheel, you must have thought you'd seen him jump."

Devon maneuvered her around so that she was facing him squarely.

"Now, what happened was you were driving in the heavy rain and lost control on the bridge. Right?"

The girl blinked at Devon for a moment. Finally, her eyes started to glaze over and her shoulders relaxed.

"I…I guess you're right," she replied, sounding more reassured. "I must have hit my head and imagined it all."

Devon eased his grip, but kept his eyes locked on hers. "Good, so you'll fall asleep now and when you wake up you won't remember us or this incident, okay?"

The girl nodded slowly. "You're cute," she commented giddily, glancing up at him briefly with a sheepish grin, before falling into his arms in an unconscious heap.

Devon was about to carry the girl away, when he felt a firm grip on his arm.

"What are you doing?" Isiah asked, turning him around.

"I'm cleaning up the mess you made," Devon replied coldly, shaking Isiah's hand away.

Isiah looked at him skeptically. "Are you serious? Rescuing a human?"

Devon made his way towards the red convertible. "You should have thought about that before you pulled your stupid stunt."

He opened the car door and placed the girl in the backseat. She was in deep sleep and there was no chance she would wake up anytime soon.

"So we're just going to leave her here?" Isiah asked, sounding frustrated. He was pacing around impatiently beside the car. "Come on, we haven't fed properly for almost a day. I'm famished."

"I said no!" Devon hollered. Immediately, he regretted losing temper because Isiah was now eyeing him with growing interest.

"I don't believe it," Isiah said slowly, his mouth curving upwards into a knowing sneer. "How the mighty have fallen. You're protecting this human, aren't you? Why else would you be so against the idea of us draining her?"

Devon felt his body tense up. He had his back to his friend, hoping Isiah wouldn't notice his clenched fists.

"I'm sure Hunter is going to be absolutely thrilled, losing another Redfern heir to the Daybreakers ," Isiah added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Devon felt his blood boiling and something in him snapped. He spun around so quickly that Isiah did not have the chance to react. Devon slammed Isiah against the car – pinning him down.

But his best friend looked at him with no trace of fear, just anger.

"I hear your cousin Ash and his sisters have become human sympathisers," Isiah continued unperturbed. "Not to mention that good for nothing Rasmussen - turning a human girl into one of us. The Night World Council is aware of his breach and they're furious. There will be repercussions, just you wait and see."

Devon felt his canines sharpen, as he hissed at his best friend.

"It will be the same for us too, if you let your emotions get in the way," Isiah pressed on, with a grim expression on his face. "They're vermin, you've said so yourself. Why risk it all just because this pretty little thing happens to be your poison? I'm thinking about us both Devon, I don't want us to suffer the same fate as the rest of your clan."

Devon loosened his hold. He was starting to feel light-headed as various thoughts and emotions ran through him. While he understood where Isiah was coming from, he couldn't bear to let anything bad happen to this girl. _I need to reason with him_, Devon decided.

"Look, I'm sorry," Devon began, running his hand through his dark hair. "I don't know what came over me. I guess I'm just stressed about this assignment. I need to prove to Hunter that I am a worthy Redfern."

Isiah was still looking slightly hostile, but at least he seemed to have relaxed his stance.

"If we feed on her, do you think it would go unnoticed? We were given strict orders and I'm not going to screw up this assignment just because you can't control yourself." Devon noticed the girl's bag in the front seat and reached for it.

"Besides, the last thing we want to do is red flag the Daybreakers," Devon continued coolly, rummaging through the contents of the bag. He felt Isiah's gaze on him - examining carefully.

Devon hoped his friend would buy his explanation. Finally, he heard a long exasperated sigh.

"You're right, I suppose," Isiah conceded begrudgingly. He crossed his arms and nodded his head in the direction of the back seat. "So what are we going to do with Sleeping Beauty back there?"

Devon flashed him the girl's license. "We'll have to drive her back home – leaving her out here will just fuel suspicion. I think I saw a map in the front seat, you'll have to navigate for me."

Isiah jumped into the passenger side of the car. "Okay, found it. What's the address?"

As Devon raked his eyes over the information on the license, something caught his attention. Two words in bold: **Annie Hartman**. Devon felt a lump forming in his throat. _How could this be?_ He thought to himself in shock. _It must be a mistake_.

Devon's head started to spin, as he the dreaded realisation dawned upon him: _She's the girl we're here to kill._

-**TO BE CONTINUED -**


	2. Chapter Two

Time seemed to have stopped as Devon stood there, unable to move. He still had Annie Hartman's license in front of him, clasped tightly between his fingers.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Isiah asked finally, sounding apprehensive again. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Devon snapped out of his daze and tried to regain his composure. "I'm fine," he murmured dismissively, tossing the license back into the bag before hopping into the car. He would have to deal with this situation later. "It's fourteen Cherrywood Lane. Let's go. "

It was about a ten minute drive before they arrived at the beautiful, ivory double-storey house with pink roses lining the front.

Devon was quiet throughout the trip, still recovering from the shock discovery moments earlier. Whichever way he looked at the situation, Devon just could not believe this girl was _the _one_. _She was simply an ordinary human – a commoner. The fact that she had almost died tonight, wasn't that enough evidence to prove that she wasn't the person they were looking for?

Beside him, Isiah let out a soft whistle as he peered out the window. "Well, looks like Missy here is quite the catch."

Although it was dark and quiet on Cherrywood Lane, Devon scanned the street to make sure they were alone. Then, he got out of the car and opened the door to the backseat. Annie was still in a deep slumber, but she was curled up in a foetal position - her whole body quivering.

_Of course, she's still in her wet clothes, _Devon thought in dismay, as he realised what he needed to do. Gently, he slipped the damp dress off Annie – averting his eyes from the feminine form in front of him. Devon picked up the tartan picnic blanket that was crumpled under one of the seats and wrapped it around Annie. The nape of her neck glistened in the moonlight – so delicate and delectable. Ignoring the burning ache in his throat, Devon stepped swiftly out of the car.

A few metres away, Isiah was standing on the pavement with his back turned. Devon felt somewhat grateful that Isiah had the decency not to watch him undress Annie. But Devon didn't have time to revel in his new found respect for his best friend, because at that moment, Isiah spun around and in his hands was the girl's bag.

"Annie Hartman, huh?" Isiah scoffed, his topaz eyes blazing. "Did you happen to forget to mention this to me?"

Devon had never seen Isiah so angry before – he looked ready to pounce.

"I knew there was something funny going on with you tonight and I was right," Isiah continued, circling Devon. "You don't want to kill her."

Devon faced his friend squarely and in a measured tone he said, "Look, you need to hear me out, Isiah." He put up both his hands in surrender. "I am not going to fight you."

"Why should I believe what you say?" Isiah snapped. "And what makes you think I won't fight _you_?"

Devon sighed. He was absolutely exhausted and the last thing he wanted was to be in another confrontation with Isiah. "We've been friends for a long time. I think I deserve a chance to explain myself."

Isiah stopped pacing and crossed his arms. "Okay, shoot – but I'm not promising that I won't hurt you after you're done."

Devon nodded and drew in a deep breath. "The reason why I didn't tell you is because I don't think she's the Wild Power."

Isiah shot him a sceptical glance. "But that Daybreaker in Portland said the last Wild Power is from Cannington Pointe, and that her name is Annie Hartman."

"That's true," Devon admitted. The shape shifter he had hypnotised did reveal the information to them. "But what if she had been wrong? Or lied to get us off track?"

The guarded walls of Isiah's psyche were starting to crack and Devon took it as a cue to press further. "If she really is the Wild Power, why didn't she use her powers to save herself before? Not to mention the girl is _clearly _human. She doesn't fit the prophecy at all. "

"Okay, let's say you're right," Isiah hypothesised, seeming less defensive now. "Then we should still kill her – just to be safe."

Devon tried not to flinch. He still didn't know why but there was something tying him to this girl and he felt extremely protective of her.

"I have a better plan," Devon suggested finally. "As my friend and companion on this task, all I ask is a bit of time."

Isiah raised an eyebrow, visibly curious at the request. "Go on."

"We have to look at the bigger picture here," Devon continued with conviction. "I say we stay for a little while to observe and test her. If she is in fact the final Wild Power, her power will eventually surface. Plus, the Daybreakers will send reinforcements to protect her. And we're not talking about just anyone, but the crème de la crème of Circle Daybreak."

Devon could see that Isiah was trying to fit all the puzzle pieces together in his head.

"Hunter _has_ been wondering who the other defectors are," Isiah noted thoughtfully. "Perhaps this will give us a better idea of who or what we're up against."

"Exactly," Devon agreed, masking his relief. "And that's when we'll strike, take them by surprise."

He felt bad for having to bait his friend in this manner, but at least for the moment, it prevented Isiah from doing anything rash. It also gave Devon some time to figure out what he was going to do about this situation.

For a while, there was only silence. Then finally, Isiah broke into his familiar sly grin. "I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but all right. I'll go along with your plan for now." He extended a hand. "Truce?"

Devon nodded as he took the hand into his and gave it a firm shake. "Truce."

**- TO BE CONTINUED -**


	3. Chapter Three

Annie woke up early on Monday morning with a sense of dread. She had been in bed for an hour, contemplating whether or not she should go to school. The thought of having to face her friends, Mark and the entire student body made her nauseous.

She had spent the weekend at home, in the safe retreat of her bedroom. Mark had tried calling numerous times – he even came over to her house yesterday afternoon, but Annie refused to see or speak to him.

Turning onto her side, Annie's eyes fell upon the white mesh dress that was draped over a chair in front of the dresser. A chill ran down her spine. Annie had woken up on Sunday morning in her convertible, slightly wet and wrapped in her picnic blanket. She wasn't hurt, but the distressing part was that she was stripped down to her underwear and did not have any recollections of the prior night, except that she had stormed out of Chelsea's party in the rain.

Annie had been raking her brain all weekend, but she just couldn't recall what happened after she left Chelsea's house. Granted, she had drunk quite a bit that night, but that still did not explain why she couldn't remember a thing at all.

As she continued to wallow in her thoughts, the door bell rang. Annie could hear muffled voices and then a few seconds later, footsteps coming up the stairs. There was a knock on her door.

"Annie, sweetheart?" A voice piped up softly. "Are you awake yet?"

Annie turned to see her mother sticking her head in. In terms of looks, Mrs Hartman was a stark contrast to her daughter. Annie was smaller, much paler, with flowy mahogany locks – where as Mrs Hartman was statuesque, bronzed and sported a trendy platinum blond bob.

There was however, a valid reason why Annie looked so different from her parents - she had been adopted by the Hartmans when she was baby. Annie knew nothing of her biological parents or where she came from, except that she was left on the steps of Cannington Pointe Orphanage, late one night in December.

"Honey, Gretchen is here to see you," Mrs Hartman prodded gently, indicating to the figure behind her to enter.

Running her fingers through her messy hair, Annie sat up. Although Gretchen Miller was only five feet, the perky redhead glided into the room with her usual sense of confidence and command.

"Well, I'll leave you two then," Mrs Hartman announced, somewhat awkwardly. As she walked out of the room, Annie caught her mother exchanging a glance with her best friend. _I wonder what that's about, _Annie thought, slightly annoyed.

When the door closed, Gretchen rushed to join Annie on the bed. "I've been so worried about you!" She exclaimed, giving Annie a big hug. "Why haven't you been answering my calls?"

Annie looked at her friend apologetically. "I'm sorry Gretch, I just needed some time alone."

"I heard what happened on Saturday night. I can't believe Mark and Chelsea – never mind, they're such jerks," Gretchen said, shaking her head disapprovingly. "So you've been holed up in here the whole weekend?"

Annie nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm not sure if I'll go to school today. I don't think I can deal with it." She tightly wrapped a blanket around herself, wanting to slink back into bed.

Gretchen stared at Annie for a moment in bemusement. "You know, this whole defeatist attitude is not a good look on you," Gretchen said finally.

She leaned forward and gave Annie's arm a firm squeeze. "This is so not like you! Where's the Annie Hartman who is strong and confident – who doesn't care what people say?" Gretchen was getting worked up now, her blue eyes flashing. "Besides, are you going to give up so easily? If you're going to hide here, you're just confirming what Chelsea wants people to think – that you're a pushover. Are you going to let that happen?"

With her lips pursed, Annie sat there quietly, absorbing her friend's words. Although she hated to admit it, she knew Gretchen was right. Staying at home was just a short term solution; she would eventually at some point, have to face everyone at school.

With a long, somewhat regretful sigh, she tossed the blankets aside. "So, are we running late?" Annie asked.

* * *

The cool crisp air was a welcome change from being confined in her room all weekend. Gretchen had offered to drive them to school and now they were blitzing down the final stretch in Gretchen's beloved white jeep – Annie caring little that the wind was messing up her hair.

As they pulled into the school parking lot, Annie noticed that there were still a few students lingering outside. Much to Annie's dismay, one of them happened to be Mark. He was leaning against the side of his black BMW sedan, his dark blond hair tousling in the breeze. He was wearing linen pants and the blue polo top that was Annie's favorite. Mark's eyes lit up when he saw her.

"Oh dear," Gretchen murmured, as they got out of the car. "Want me to fend him off?"

Before Annie could answer, Mark was already making his way towards them. "Annie, can I talk to you?"

Gretchen crossed her arms and threw Annie a look that said, _No don't do it. _But as Annie glanced up at Mark, she couldn't help but soften her demeanour. Annie had never seen him so miserable before – he was slightly unshaven and had dark rings under his eyes.

"It's okay. I'll catch up with you later," Annie said gently, giving her best friend a reassuring nod. The petite redhead seemed momentarily surprised at first, but then quickly recovered. "All right, I'll meet you at the lockers," Gretchen replied, shooting an icy glare in Mark's direction as she walked away.

"Sorry about that, I-" Annie stopped abruptly._ Wait, _I_ shouldn't be the one apologising,_ she mentally berated herself.

Mark took it as a cue to jump in. "Look Annie, I'm sorry about the other night. It was a big mistake, I shouldn't have drunk so much - I didn't know what I was doing." He was rambling now, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Annie remained silent, her face stoic. She was simply lost for words at that moment - like an empty shell void of any emotion. It astonished Annie that she was able to keep so calm and composed.

It seemed like forever before Annie finally spoke. "I need some time to think over things," she began slowly, tearing her eyes away from Mark's crestfallen face. "I just don't think I can be with you at the moment."

"I love you though," Mark implored, his voice desperate. "Annie, you can't be serious." He reached out, beckoning her to come to him, but Annie stood firm.

"I need to go," was all she could muster, before turning her back to him.

As Annie walked up the steps of the school, she realised that her hands were shaking. _Maybe I'm not so brave after all,_ she thought to herself wryly. But deep down, Annie's intuition was telling her that perhaps her jitteriness may have not been fully attributed to the confrontation with Mark.

She had a strange, tingling sensation that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She felt like she was being watched by someone or something. Slowly, her eyes traced the rows of cedars lining the sides of the school. Annie thought she caught a glimpse of a shadow darting behind the trees, but it happened so fast, she wasn't sure.

"Hey, are you okay?" Gretchen was standing at the entrance of the building, glancing briefly in the direction of the woods.

Annie blinked and refocused. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go in."

* * *

By lunch time, the whispers and stares had somewhat subsided, to Annie's relief. Despite the run in with Mark, the rest of the morning went by without incident or drama, much to everyone else's disappointment.

Since it was a beautiful clear day - a rarity in Cannington Pointe during February, Annie suggested to Gretchen and Mallory Pierce, another friend of theirs, that they sit outside in the courtyard. Overall, Annie was in better spirits and her friends must have sensed the change, because they tactfully refrained from mentioning Saturday night's incident.

The three girls were resting on the grass, basking in the warmth of the sun in silence, when suddenly Gretchen stirred.

"Annie! I can't believe your birthday is this Friday and we haven't even planned anything yet," she noted in alarm, propping herself up so that she was facing the other girls. "I'm such a rotten friend, aren't I?"

Annie turned to her best friend and gave Gretchen's hand a supportive squeeze. "Of course not, don't be silly." She sat up and brushed the grass off her sweater. "To be honest, having a birthday bash is the last thing on my mind."

Mallory nodded understandingly. "That's fine – but we still want to celebrate with you. It's not every day that you get to turn seventeen." With her gentle and serene nature, wispy blond hair, and delicate but sharp features, Mallory Pierce often reminded Annie of a fairy.

"Definitely," Gretchen agreed, her face breaking into a grin. "You deserve to have a great time and be happy."

Maybe her friends were right – the past few days have been a blur, not to mention draining. Annie was sick of moping around, feeling sorry for herself. She needed to get out and clear her mind.

"So, what do you say?" Mallory prompted, beaming encouragingly.

Annie couldn't help but return the smile. "Okay – but I want this to be a small gathering. Can you promise me that?"

Both her friends exchanged excited glances with one another, before nodding in unison. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Gretchen leaned forward. "And I know just the place to go."

**- TO BE CONTINUED -**


	4. Chapter Four

The alleyway was dimly lit with a damp, rancid smell.

Annie shivered and instinctively wrapped her arms around herself. Gretchen had parked her car behind one of the old mill factories in downtown Cannington Pointe and had led them to this nearby laneway. Annie had no idea where her friends were taking her, but like numerous times this week, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

Beside her, Gretchen and Mallory were silent. There was a thick air of uneasiness around them and the girls quickened their pace.

It felt like forever before Annie heard the growing din of music and chatter. Up ahead, she noticed the source of the noise. A queue of people were waiting on the red carpet to get into what seemed like a nightclub. It was only when they got closer that Annie realised where her friends had led her to. The most exclusive club in Cannington Pointe - _The_ _Night Cat_.

"How did you…?" Annie trailed off in awe, as they approached the crowd of people – all beautiful and immaculately dressed. Most of them could pass as models or movie stars.

"I have a confession to make," Gretchen admitted, with a sheepish grin on her face. "You know how you went to Portland with Mark a few weeks ago?"

Annie nodded, finding it hard to focus her attention on Gretchen. A few guys in the line were eyeing them with interest.

"Well, Chelsea invited me out one night and brought me here. She's a regular ," Gretchen continued.

Mallory raised her eyebrows in surprise. "But she's only seventeen."

"I know, but they let her in anyway." Gretchen cast a sideward glance and lowered her tone, "In fact, I saw some other girls from school as well."

Annie had to admit she was impressed. _The Night Cat _was notorious for being extremely selective with their clientele and just getting in was an achievement in itself, especially for a high school student.

Gretchen led Annie and Mallory to the other side of the entrance, where a small group was being ushered in.

"VIP line," Gretchen pointed out, as if she was anticipating the question.

They stopped in front of the velvet rope, where a tall, stunning brunette in an expensive red gown stood with a clipboard in hand.

"Name please?" She demanded, with a distinct eastern European accent.

"Miller - Gretchen Miller."

The woman swiftly scanned her list and tapped her pen. "I do not have a Gretchen Miller," she replied impatiently, not even bothering to glance up.

"Um, are you sure? Can you please check again? I'm certain –"

"Look," the woman cut in brusquely. "We are extremely busy tonight and we are running at capacity. I have other clients to attend to, so can you move to the back of the line?" She finally looked up at the girls and Annie noticed that she had eyes the colour of topaz – it was unsettling yet so inhumanely beautiful.

"Is something the matter, Mariska?" A low husky voice suddenly piped up from behind the brunette.

A man, who looked like he was in his early twenties, with copper hair and dark alluring eyes sauntered towards them. He was dressed in a grey tailored suit and although medium in stature, had an air of grace and authority about him.

"Grégori," Mariska breathed, suddenly looking slightly nervous and flushed. "Everything is fine. I was just telling these girls that we're full tonight."

Gretchen stepped forward and extended her hand, "Hi, we met last time. I'm a friend of Chelsea Middleton."

A flash of recognition flickered across Grégori's face and he took Gretchen's hand in his. "Of course, I remember. Miss Miller, right?" His gaze moved to where Annie and Mallory were standing. "And these are your friends I assume?"

Gretchen nodded to the girls to move forward. "Yes, Mallory and Annie. It's actually Annie's birthday today – that's why we're here."

"Happy birthday," Grégori said pleasantly, as he reached for Annie's hand. He kissed it gently - his lips lingering longer than Annie would have liked. Finally, he pulled away and looked up with a strange unreadable smile on his face.

"Mariska, let these girls through." He instructed, looking away from Annie at last. Mariska raised an eyebrow in bemusement and released the rope almost reluctantly.

"I have some business to attend to at the moment, but please enjoy your night. It was a pleasure meeting you all." Grégori gave them a small bow, before retreating behind the curtains.

"I think he was enamoured by you," Mallory whispered to Annie with a twinkle in her eye. "He couldn't stop staring and smiling."

Annie didn't think it was infatuation, it was actually kind of disconcerting – but she didn't have time to dwell on it as Gretchen led them though a sea of red velvety curtains, the gateway into _The Night Cat_.

* * *

It felt like they had entered another world, everything seemed so surreal. The club's interior was decadently adorned in purple and black décor, all trimmed in gold. Hanging over the crowded dance floor, was a grand crystal chandelier.

The rest of the club's patrons were dispersed in small groups around the room and at the bar. Although the lighting was dim, Annie could tell that surprisingly, most of the people in here seemed to be around her age or perhaps a few years older.

"Let's go dance," Gretchen suggested, tugging Annie's arm. Absorbing the eclectic atmosphere around her, Annie nodded, feeling unashamedly giddy as she made her way towards the dance floor with her two best friends.

* * *

Annie guessed that they must have danced for an hour or so, when she felt the dry ache in her throat and signalled to her friends that she was going to get a drink from the bar. Although they nodded and waved at her, Annie wasn't so sure they got the message – her friends seemed somewhat preoccupied with the two cute boys who were chatting to them.

As Annie moved through the crowd, she still couldn't fathom how ridiculously good-looking some of these people were. She assumed most of them hailed from Cannington Pointe or towns nearby, but why hadn't Annie noticed them before? Lost in her thoughts, Annie failed to realise that someone had suddenly stepped in her path until it was too late.

"Watch it!" A familiar, high-pitched voice cried. Annie froze. She could recognise that voice from a mile away. Standing right in front of her was Chelsea Middleton. The blonde looked momentarily surprised at seeing Annie, but then quickly regained her composure.

"It seems that they're really lowering their standards here – they're letting anyone off the street in," Chelsea said loudly to the friend beside her, purposely within ear shot of Annie.

"I know right, look what the cat dragged in," the other girl added, as they brushed past in a fit of laughter.

Annie stood there, feeling the colour drain from her cheeks. She knew she had no reason to feel intimidated by Chelsea and hated the fact that she was so shaken up by the girl she couldn't even find a suitable retort.

"Hey, can I buy you a drink?" A voice interrupted. It came from a boy who was standing next to Annie. He had light brown hair that was slightly dishevelled and wore a lazy, coy expression. He gave her a once-over appreciatively. Annie felt the heat rising up to her face.

Usually, she wasn't the type to accept drinks from strangers, but there was something strangely inviting about this boy and he did save her from the cringe-worthy encounter with Chelsea. "Sure, why not," she replied finally, taking a seat next to him. "I'm Annie Hartman."

The boy shook her hand. "Elias Moore," he introduced, and his gaze settled on her wrist. "That's nice, may I?"

Before Annie could even answer, Elias was tracing his fingers over the delicate golden flower on her bracelet. As he was studying it, Annie felt the wave of uneasiness wash over her. The golden flower pendant had been with her since was a baby. In fact, it was the only memento her birth parents had left her before leaving her on the orphanage steps. She had since placed it on a bracelet, so she could wear it on special occasions. It made her feel close and connected to her biological parents, whoever and wherever they may be.

"It was a gift from a long time ago, " Annie confided, her voice barely a whisper.

Elias paused momentarily. He then turned the pendant around and there, engraved on the back was Annie's name and date of birth. He surveyed it for a while before shooting her a smile. "Birthday girl, huh? Well, I definitely have to buy you a drink now. What would you like?"

Annie glanced at the brownish-orange drink in Elias' hand and decided she might as well be bold and give it a try.

"I'll have what he's drinking," she said coolly to the bartender.

Elias eyes lit up and let out a whistle, "Wow, this isn't exactly a girl's drink – if you know what I mean. But I must say, I am impressed."

Annie shrugged it off. "I'm a big girl, I can handle it." To prove it, she picked up the glass and guzzled the drink down in a few gulps. Immediately, she regretted doing so. Annie tried not to grimace as she attempted to keep the drink down. _**Gosh, this is strong, **_she thought to herself. A wave of dizziness rushed to her head and Annie didn't even realise she was falling forward until she felt someone pulling her back.

Beside her, Elias was chuckling softly. "Are you okay? Maybe you should slow down a bit." He placed a hand on her shoulder. _**He's so warm,**_ Annie realised, feeling the heat radiating through her body.

Her thoughts were soon broken by a noticeable stir in the crowd. There was a sudden hush over the dance floor and the sea of people slowly parted, giving Annie a direct view of the person who had caused the commotion. Standing on the top of the steps, was a tall boy with dark hair who looked not much older than Annie. Although he was a fair distance away, Annie could tell he was incredibly handsome.

The boy looked around as if he was looking for someone, ignoring all the whispers and pointing from the club's patrons. Finally, his gaze fell upon her. Annie felt a sudden jolt as their eyes met - it was like she had the wind knocked out of her. The boy's violet eyes were so intense and penetrating that Annie was unable to look away.

The crowd around her started to blur, and in the distance a silver thread was materialising, binding Annie to this mysterious stranger - until it was just the two of them in the room.

_Annie - it's you. _A low, husky gentle voice murmured in Annie's mind.

_Who are you? _Annie responded, in a state of shock and wonder. _How did you get inside my head?_

_Don't be alarmed. I can't believe it myself, but we're meant to be, _the boy replied.

_Meant to be? _Annie repeated slowly, feeling somewhat dense and sluggish.

_Yes, as in soulmates. The fact that we're connecting like this proves it. The soulmate principal, _the voice continued.

The second wave of light-headedness hit Annie like a ton of bricks. She tried desperately to hold onto the boy's gaze and make sense of what he was saying, but in the distance, the silver thread was dissipating rapidly.

_Annie, is something wrong? Our bond is weakening, _the boy sounded alarmed.

Annie could feel the bile rising in her throat and grabbed onto the stool for dear life, as dizziness and nausea engulfed her.

_I can't – I can't do this. Leave me alone, _was all Annie could manage before turning away and fleeing.

* * *

Annie could feel her heartbeat returning to normal again, as she took in the cool night air. She had escaped through the back door, and was now taking refuge in the rear laneway. Annie inhaled deeply again, feeling the need to regurgitate subside.

This whole outing was turning out to be incredibly bizarre – Annie couldn't even explain what had just happened moments earlier with the handsome stranger. _I have got to stop drinking,_ she berated herself as she smoothed out her hair. She was ready to go home, the night was getting way out of control.

_Now, I just have to find Gretchen and Mallory,_ Annie thought herself as she turned towards the door, only to come face to face with Elias.

"You scared me!" Annie exclaimed, her hands flying to her chest.

"There you are, I was wondering where you went." Elias leaned into her, too close for comfort.

"Sorry, I've been having a rough night. I think it's time for me to go - it was nice meeting you," Annie stepped out to move past the boy, but Elias blocked her path.

He was eyeing her strangely and it made Annie feel uneasy. "Leaving so soon? But we were just getting to know each other."

"Look, this isn't funny. Let me through." Annie said, trying to keep her voice steady as she tried again to push past him.

Elias took hold of her arms. "I don't think so," he replied with a sneer, tightening his grip on her. "I have a reward to collect, and you are my bargaining chip."

Annie had no idea what he was talking about, but she knew she had to get away fast. This guy was obviously crazy and she did not intend to stick around to find out what he was capable of. With as much subtly as she could muster, Annie quickly scanned her surroundings. Her heart sunk. There were no clear exits - she was trapped. The only way she could get away was to climb over the wired fence. Still, she had to give it a try.

With one swift move, Annie kicked Elias - hard. She had obviously caught him off guard, because upon impact, he loosened his grip on her. Without another thought, Annie ran for the fence. She could hear Elias groaning and cursing at her, but she didn't care to look back. With a big leap, she jumped onto the metal enclosure, but Annie didn't get far up, before she felt two strong hands on her waist, yanking her down.

With a sickening thud, Annie fell onto the pavement. Immediately a nerve-shattering pain shot though her body and a moan escaped her lips. Annie blinked a few times to refocus, trying desperately to get up, to no avail. Then, a pair of hands lifted Annie up and with one rough shove, slammed her against the fence.

"That was a very stupid thing to do," Elias breathed, pressing his face up against Annie's. "Very stupid."

Lips quivering, Annie raised her face to meet Elias'. His eyes were flashing amber, pupils dilated. Elias looked wild - almost animalistic. Annie couldn't believe that just moments before, she had been talking amiably with him.

With a forceful push, Elias let go of Annie and began pacing in front of her. "You know, I've changed my mind now," he announced, in an almost pleasant tone. "I think I'll have you for myself. Why let Hunter have all the fun? Besides, as long as I have a part of you as evidence – I think I'm still eligible for my prize."

_Oh dear god, he's going to kill me, _Annie realised in horror. Her mouth instinctively parted, ready to cry out.

"Screaming won't help you," Elias interjected softly, reading her mind. "No one can hear you. It's just you and me here, I'm afraid."

He suddenly stopped pacing and shook his head. "It's a shame really, I think we could have been friends."

Elias turned to her, his face contorting grotesquely. His body heaved as the panting grew louder. The veins on his neck and arms were pulsating so vigorously that they protruded from the skin and he was growing - taller, muscular and hairier, right before her eyes. Elias had transformed into a beast – an oversized wolf to be exact.

Annie blinked a few times hoping she would wake up from this nightmare, but her efforts were in vain. The dark wolf was now staring at her menacingly with its amber eyes alight. A guttural growl resonated from the beast – its long, sharp canines in full view. With an effortless spring off its hind legs, the wolf pounced. All Annie could do was close her eyes and pray.

**- TO BE CONTINUED -**


	5. Chapter Five

Holding her breath, Annie braced herself for the blow. To her surprise however, it never came and instead, for a split second she felt a rush of wind surge past and then a loud crash to her left.

Opening her eyes, Annie was startled to find herself looking into the face of the mysterious stranger from the club with whom earlier, she had shared the strange telepathic experience.

"Are you okay?" He asked anxiously, a worried expression washing over his features.

Transfixed by the form in front of her, Annie couldn't mutter a coherent reply. The boy was even more handsome up close than she could have ever imagined. He was tall and lean, with jet black hair that framed a perfectly chiselled face. But what stood out the most were his eyes – pools of sparkling violet, so alluring and utterly breathtaking that Annie found herself getting hopelessly lost in them.

"You're not hurt are you?" The gorgeous stranger prodded again, this time stepping forward. If Annie wasn't so awestruck, she would have blushed and denied his advance, but all she could do was continue to stare at this image of perfection. Gently, he ran his hands over her to check if she was all right.

At the touch of his cool skin, Annie suddenly snapped out of her trance. "I-I'm fine," she choked out, noticing for the first time that her body was trembling. Feeling the heat rise to her face, she stepped back slightly and looked away. It was then, that Annie noticed a mass of brown fur, slumped against the corner wall near the entrance.

"Don't worry, I took care of him," the boy spoke up, following her gaze.

"How did you –" Annie began, flabbergasted. She spun around to face him, and with a nervous gulp, whispered, "Wait, who are you?_** What**_ are you?"

The stranger ran a hand through his hair, struggling to find the right words. "My name is Devon," he answered finally. "I promise I'll explain everything later, but right now, we really need to get you out of here." He held out a hand, almost like he was expecting her to follow but Annie did not move.

"I've had a crazy night. I think I almost got killed by some….wolf-man, so with all due respect, I am not going to follow a stranger who can turn out to be another psychopath," Annie blubbered, feeling slightly hysterical.

Devon placed his hands softly on Annie's shoulder and looked into her eyes. "Look I understand your concern, but you need to trust me, I won't hurt you."

For some reason, there was something about this boy that made Annie believe him. Even so, she had to think rationally and that meant she needed to find her friends and get out of there – fast.

Before Annie could respond, she caught a flicker of gold behind Devon, who was still trying to rationalize with her. His words however, were fallen on deaf ears. To Annie's astonishment, the yellow streak turned out to be a large and beautiful glimmering leopard, and it was charging - towards them.

Suddenly, Devon stopped mid-sentence and his body tensed, obviously realising that something was not right. Then everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The leopard's green eyes seemed to emanate a fierce glow, its intensity directed at one person – Devon.

_It wants to kill him_, Annie thought in horror. A sickening sensation was growing in the depths of her stomach, but she ignored it. All she knew was that she had to protect him. Just as Devon was turning towards the direction of the feline, Annie pushed past him and threw herself in the path of the oncoming collision. For the second time that night, Annie steeled herself for impact .The leopard's gold-speckled green eyes were the last thing she saw before everything went black.

* * *

Annie found herself in a bright meadow, full of yellow daffodils – her favorite flowers. It was a sunny day and there was a distinct aroma of honey in the air. She was in a great mood, everything seemed so perfect and wonderful. In fact, she hadn't felt this _free _in a long time.

_I'm so light_, Annie thought to herself, looking down only to notice that she was floating several inches from the ground. She giggled as she propelled herself higher into the air, her hair and white silk robe swirling around her as she did so.

_This must be what heaven is like,_ Annie figured before elegantly tumbling into a somersault midair. _Maybe I'm in heaven now. _

Again, Annie launched herself higher until the meadow was a mosaic of green and yellow_. I think I could get used to this_, she thought contently, closing her eyes. But as she was basking in the warmth of the sun, what sounded like a faint voice echoed in the distance, interrupting her peace.

_What was that?_ Annie thought to herself in exasperation. The voice seemed to be coming from above. Annie glanced heavenward and to her surprise, a gaping black hole loomed over her. It seemed to be expanding by the second.

_That's strange_, Annie noted to herself. _Was that even there before?_

Slowly, she moved closer to the dark opening. The voice was clearer now, and Annie realised that it sounded like a young male. He was calling her name.

_Where is he and why is he making so much noise?_ Annie thought irritably. Whoever this guy was, did he not know that disrupting someone's peace was particularly rude?

Edging forward once more, Annie found herself right under the dark crevasse. But before she could open her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, the unfamiliar voice called out to her again.

_Annie please come back_, it beckoned with slight anxiousness.

The urgent tone made Annie suddenly feel scared and confused.

_I like it here, leave me alone!_ She refuted, violently shaking her head as if doing so would rid her of the telepathic connection.

_You don't belong there Annie_, the voice continued with tender sadness. _What about your family and friends? They need you, we need you and you need us. Come back. Please, trust me._

Something in Annie stirred. In the midst of the all this visual and aromatic splendor, she had forgotten about what mattered most – her loved ones. They weren't here. But she was. And she was all alone.

Maybe this guy, whoever he was, had a point.

Looking up once more, Annie knew that there was only one way to go. With a deep breath, she moved towards the black opening and did not stop until the darkness swallowed her whole.

* * *

Annie was falling. The world around her was spinning with such ferocity that she found it hard to breathe. It felt like she was being sucked down a wind tunnel - her body pulled in multiple directions.

In the distance, Annie could make out a pinpoint of light. The darkness began to disperse as she moved closer to the radiating glow. The velocity was increasing at a rapidly dangerous rate. Before Annie could even comprehend what was happening, she hit the ground with a violent thud and a jolt of pain shot through her entire body as if a thousand knives had pierced through her.

Severely winded, she desperately gasped for air.

"Annie?" It was that voice again.

Ignoring her throbbing headache, Annie slowly opened her eyes. To her surprise, she was surrounded by light. A warm sensation overcame her and the pain somewhat subsided.

It was only when her vision started to clear up, that Annie noticed a silhouette in the midst of the beautiful golden glow. It seemed to be source of this radiance, and the being was holding her ever so gently in its arms.

"Are you an angel?" Annie muttered hoarsely. _I must be dead_, she concluded before the being could answer.

As if on cue, the brilliant light started to fade and the mysterious figure became more prominent. The first thing Annie noticed was a pair of dazzling jade-green eyes, looking at her tenderly.

_Where have I seen those eyes before?_ She asked herself, unable to tear her gaze away.

Then, a face as magnificent as the Greek God Adonis with hair of spun gold, emerged.

Annie continued to stare without blinking. Her vision had returned completely and there was no doubt in her mind now that this alarmingly striking boy was a heavenly being.

"I think she's going to be okay," the angel called out to someone, looking relieved. He glanced back down at Annie, a smile touching his lips. It was then that she noticed his eyes were glistened with tears.

"You're going to be fine Annie," the divine creature continued, gently stroking her hair back. "And I'm no angel. My name is Galen Drache – we meet at last."

**- TO BE CONTINUED - **


End file.
